Author Archives: Nigel Roberts

Opinion: a British Bill of Rights should include judicial review of legislation

By Nigel Roberts | Thu 10th March 2011 - 11:15 am

British people’s attitude to fundamental rights is deteriorating alarmingly. Liberal Democrats in government have a key opportunity to reverse the trend.

When the incoming Labour Government issued ‘Bringing Rights Home’, in the wake of the UK having the worst human rights record in terms of adverse judgments except Turkey, we all applauded.

But the weasel words of the Human Rights act, which explicitly ruled out judicial review of legislation (as happens in Canada under the Charter, and has happeed in the USA since Marbury -v- Madison) has created a climate where the majority of the British people now think that fundamental …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged british bill of rights, ecthr, human rights act, jack straw and judicial review | 13 Comments

Opinion: Fair votes are in our blood

By Nigel Roberts | Sun 9th May 2010 - 5:50 pm

Dear Nick,

As a Founder Member of the Liberal Democrats who was a member of one of the predecessor parties from 1982 onwards it seems to me that the historic time that we have all been waiting for since that date has arrived.

In your Personal Guarantee you said you would use the votes you would be given in order to deliver among other things, Fair Votes. I was therefore honoured to be able to come back to the UK mainland to help in a very small way this election.

I know Fair Votes are in your blood, like nearly all of us.

But …

Posted in Op-eds | 49 Comments